


Lessons

by ladydragon76



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25959958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydragon76/pseuds/ladydragon76
Summary: Summary:Primus help him, but Thundercracker can't just let the kid die.
Comments: 42
Kudos: 118





	Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> **'Verse:** G1  
>  **Series:** None  
>  **Rating:** PG  
>  **Characters:** Thundercracker, Fireflight  
>  **Warnings:** None  
>  **Notes:** For MC_Monday, tier reward ficcy!

So much for his quiet, free afternoon, Thundercracker thought when the Aerialbot swung in behind him and started firing. What the frag was the kid even doing out here -Thundercracker ran a quick sensor sweep- alone?

" _You're going to get yourself killed,_ " Thundercracker sent over an open channel.

The Aerialbot fired, the shots going a bit wide.

" _Fine. Be that way. _" Thundercracker cut all thruster power, snapped his nose up, and let -yeah, that was Fireflight- shoot past him. He re-engaged his engines and targeted the youngling. No doubt the kid's alarms were blaring as he swerved side to side, dove, launched upward, tried every beginner trick in the book, and still failed to shake Thundercracker.__

__" _I really can do this all day,_ " Thundercracker said on a sigh. How the frag did they ever present a challenge in combat? Was it because there were five of them then? No. Couldn't be. Thundercracker sighed again and hoped he was far enough away from Soundwave for his treasonous thoughts to not register. The reason the Aerialbots were a threat in battle but not now was because - _right now_ \- Megatron wasn't trying to direct the Decepticon Seekers from the ground instead of trusting his Air Commander. No matter how annoying and traitorous Starscream was, he was an amazing aerial tactician and cared for the mechs under his command- even if it was only because of how their performance reflected on him._ _

__" _So can I!_ Fireflight shouted back and twisted into a dive far too steep for someone so inexperienced. He seemed to realize it too late, however, and a sharp, frightened cry echoed back over the open channel._ _

__Thundercracker groaned and dove. He wouldn't be able to recharge at night if he let the untrained whelp crash and burn. Gravity shoved against Thundercracker as he shot toward Fireflight, who was now caught in a flat spin._ _

__" _Transform,_ " Thundercracker ordered as he drew near. " _Now! Slag it!_ "_ _

__Fireflight obeyed and screamed as he was whipped into a flailing tumble._ _

__" _Pull in tight_ ," Thundercracker barked, his systems beginning to scream warnings about the approaching ground. Fireflight obeyed though. " _Slowly. Slowly spread your arms and legs out,_ " he said once the Aerialbot had stopped spinning and tumbling._ _

__Proximity alarms blared. " _I'm gonna fly under you. You grab on where wings meet fuselage. Got it?_ "_ _

__" _Yes, sir,_ " was the meek reply._ _

__Thundercracker darted under Fireflight and the instant the youngling's fingers curled around his plating, he engaged his airbrakes and began to flatten out of the dive._ _

__" _Are we going to die?_ " Fireflight asked his fear a blanket over Thundercracker's frame._ _

__" _Not today._ "_ _

__The tops of the trees clawed at Thundercracker's belly though as he finally leveled off and pushed more power back to his thrusters._ _

__" _Tree!_ " Fireflight screamed. Unnecessarily._ _

__Thundercracker shot over it, pine needles spraying into his wake. That one was going to leave a mark, but they were clear, and the sting wasn't anything he couldn't ignore._ _

__It took a few minutes to find a place to land, and in that time, Fireflight clung in silent terror, face tucked into Thundercracker's plating. Rather than land and wait for the kid to climb off him, Thundercracker transformed, caught Fireflight in his arms, and landed only a little heavier than he usually did in a large meadow._ _

__"Now," Thundercracker began and set Fireflight on his feet. One look at the youngling's face though, and the stern lecture Thundercracker had been gearing up for vanished. Tears streaked from white-rimmed, pale blue optics. Fireflight's wings were tucked low, his shoulders hunched, and hands clenched together in tight to his chest. "Want to know where you went wrong today?" Thundercracker asked as gently as he could._ _

__Fireflight nodded._ _

__"Sit." Thundercracker dropped, cross-legged, to the grass with a gesture. "First," he said when Fireflight sat too, "is to never attack any Decepticon alone. Go home as fast as you can and report the contact."_ _

__"But-"_ _

__" _Never_ ," Thundercracker interrupted sharply, "attack a Decepticon alone. Especially not one of us Seekers. We can out-fly you and your brothers in our sleep. Your second mistake was taking that dive as sharply as you did. You're barely a quarter vorn old. You don't have the flight experience or physical strength to keep your plating and flaps tight enough. Your wing position was fragged too. You're lucky neither of them were ripped off from the wind shear alone."_ _

__"Why did you save me?" Fireflight asked and scrubbed his face dry._ _

__Thundercracker heaved yet another sigh. "Because you're a kid. Now listen up, because it's not like I'll have much time to teach you properly."_ _

__Fireflight blinked in surprise, but folded his hands in his lap and met Thundercracker's gaze with an attentive one of his own. Starscream was going to be fragged, and Megatron would literally murder him, but Thundercracker just couldn't walk away from the youngling. He settled in and began explaining some exercises Fireflight could do to help strengthen his cabling and plating tensors._ _

**Author's Note:**

> [CLICK HERE](https://ladydragon76.dreamwidth.org/334490.html) to learn more about me!
> 
> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:  
>  **Feedback**
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Questions
>   * Constructive criticism
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Reader-reader interaction (regarding the fic tho please)
> 

> 
> **Author Responses**  
>  This author replies to comments, mostly with a simple but heartfelt 'thank you' in acknowledgment of said comment, but longer replies happen as feel natural.  
> If you don't want a reply, for any reason, just put a 'whisper' up front or at the end, and I will simply and quietly appreciate your comment without responding. ^_^


End file.
